This invention relates to the field of electronic controlling devices and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to a controlling system for use in a room or area of a building such as a house or office, to provide various control methods for devices such as light fixtures, receptacles and electrical devices attached thereto, and heating devices, all of which operate from AC mains electrical supply voltages, by means of conveniently grouped or individual controlling devices which operate from an extra low voltage supply.
For several years there have been known methods of controlling the brightness of incandescent light bulbs to create an ambiance in rooms. More recently there have been methods to control the brightness of fluorescent lamps. Still more recently there has been a desire to control the power output from a wall receptacle in order to vary the brightness of a lamp which is electrically attached to the receptacle.
Early methods of light dimming used large variable resistors that carried the same current as the dimmed light bulb. This method produced a great deal of heat and wasted a great deal of power. More recent methods make use of semi-conductor devices known as triacs. Several variations are known and they are based on the fact that power output from a triac can be controlled by varying the point in the AC waveform at which the triac is turned on. In so doing the portion of the AC waveform reaching the load is controlled. In order to control the point at which the triac is turned on, a variable resistance is provided and this is usually connected to a rotating knob or a sliding lever. In either case, the variable resistor, which is adjusted by a human being moving the knob or sliding lever is part of the same electrical circuit as the triac and is housed in a container together with the triac.
The previously mentioned triac and variable resistor, together with other electronic components such as capacitors are assembled into a device which has become commonly known as a dimmer switch. A typical dimmer switch is designed for installation in an electrical outlet box. Traditionally, when separate dimming control has been required for more than one light or group of lights, additional dimmer switches and additional electrical outlet boxes to contain said additional dimmer switches are required. Each dimmer switch requires a separate electrical outlet box. A problem arises when these traditional dimmer switches are grouped or ganged. Because the components produce heat while controlling a load, the rated load carrying capability for each dimmer switch must be reduced. In large rooms such as banquet rooms in a hotel for example, where several lights are controlled by a single dimmer switch, and several groups of lights are controlled from a common location, it is often necessary to use large dimmer switches with metal heat sinks attached. Alternatively, several individual boxes must be spaced apart on the wall. Neither situation is aesthetically pleasing.
Recently there has been a desire to control all lights and receptacles in certain rooms of homes so that a great degree of flexibility is available to the occupant for creating lighting scenarios. The occupant may want a bright room for entertaining and a dim room for relaxation. The occupant may wish to have all lights on, only one light on or no lights on. There are numerous possibilities if the occupant has control over all lights and receptacles. Because the receptacles are normally rated for 15 Amps and there is the possibility that a device requiring 12 amps may be connected to the receptacle, a dimmer switch controlling an individual receptacle must be capable of handling such a load. The dimmer switches normally found in homes are usually approved for use with a permanently connected incandescent load of 600 Watts. This load must be reduced if the dimmer switches are grouped or ganged. For example the Leviton 6602 dimmer switch has CSA approval as a 600 Watt device. This is reduced to 500 Watts if two are ganged and reduced to 400 Watts if more than two are ganged. If the occupant of a home had a desire to control, for example, six receptacles and two lighting outlets in a room, this would require using eight boxes and eight large dimming devices. This would be very expensive and would not be very pleasing to the eye since there is not enough space between wall studs in standard construction to allow for a continuous row of boxes.
Very recently, a number of companies have tried to provide methods of controlling individual devices in a room by providing control modules that plug into existing electrical receptacles and receive a control signal from a remote source. One such system, known as X10 uses the power line carrier method to convey a signal for control purposes. Another system, provides control by sending radio frequency signals to the controlled device. Both of the methods mentioned are referred to as wireless control and these systems were used because of restrictions in the electrical code which require that:
a) Wiring of extra low voltage systems must be physically separated from the wiring of mains voltage systems and if present in the same box must be separated by a suitable barrier.
b) The connection terminals for both systems must be accessible for the purposes of maintenance and inspection after installation.
Since electronic components normally operate at extra low voltages, there was no way to satisfy the code requirements where a wired system was desired, other than to use a central controlling panel. When a central control panel is used there must be a separate mains voltage cable run from the panel to each controlled device or to each controlled group of devices. This is very expensive to do and very wasteful of material. In comparison to the central panel method, the wireless methods allow for wire to be looped from one receptacle to the next in the normal manner and these systems are less wasteful of material. However, both the power line carrier method and the radio frequency method of wireless control experience problems from interference and this affects their reliability.
The power line carrier technology is vulnerable to power spikes on the electrical power system, over which it has not control. Power line carrier devices are expensive and must use other expensive components to attempt to deal with interference problems. Even with surge protection devices present in a circuit the reliability is questionable.
The radio frequency technology experiences a number of problems. For example, if a control signal is strong enough to travel from one end of a home to the opposite end of the home, it is also likely to be strong enough to enter a neighboring home. For this reason the radio frequency wireless method is claimed to be best suited where ample space exists between neighboring homes. When a lower signal strength is used, it may not be strong enough to pass through the walls in a home and signal boosting devices may be needed.
Additional problems occur for both systems, which can switch on power devices when they should be off. For example a baby monitor or a garage door opener from a neighboring home can cause false switching in the radio frequency system. A power line carrier signal can travel back through the electrical panel and onto the utility company power lines into a neighboring home, possibly causing fals switching.
Disclosed in the prior technical literature are several inventions which make use of wireless methods of control. Other inventions disclose control systems and wiring systems using a central control panel, for example Spira and Zaharchuck, Canada Patent No. 1243728 discloses a lighting scene control panel and control circuit. This system uses a central dimming panel and does not distribute control to individual controlled devices. With this system, individual mains voltage wires would be required to be routed from the central dimming panel to each light or group of lights to be dimmed. This system provides only dimming control of lights and makes no provision for controlling other power loads such as heaters and receptacles by ON/OFF control.
There is a need, not met by present systems and methods, for a controlling system and wiring methods that can provide distributed ON/OFF or variable control of electrical power loads, in a manner that is practical to implement, reliable, safe, affordable and which meets with the requirements of the electrical code.
The present invention is directed in one aspect to providing an electrical wiring system, in which wires from a mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) source of supply, and wires from an extra-low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) source of supply, are routed within walls, and in particular within walls of stud and wallboard construction, within ceiling spaces or through joist spaces of a building, such as a home or an office, for the purpose of controlling the electrical current supplied to electrical devices such as receptacles, lights and heaters, so that said mains voltage wires enter an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure, and so that said extra-low voltage wires are available for connection to a controlling device, said controlling device having controlling connections, controlled connections and said controlling device being installable through the open front of said electrical device enclosure, then through said large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure so that with said controlling device attached to said electrical device enclosure a physical barrier is present between said mains voltage wires and said extra-low voltage wires, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible when said removable plate is removed or when said controlling device is removed from within said electrical device enclosure.
In another aspect the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, control one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low voltage levels, connected to controlling devices, said controlling devices having controlled connections and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, control one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low voltage levels, connected to controlling devices for the purpose of supplying power and for transferring digital data, said controlling devices having controlled connections and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices further comprising a memory device for storing digital data, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, control one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low voltage levels, connected to controlling devices for the purpose of supplying power and for transferring digital data, said controlling devices having controlled connections and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices further comprising a microcontroller for storing and manipulating digital data, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, are used as inputs to a microcontroller, said microcontroller containing a program to interpret said inputs and provide outputs for control of one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low voltage levels, connected to controlling devices for the purpose of supplying power and for transferring digital data, said controlling devices having controlled connections, and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices further comprising a memory device for storing digital data, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, are used as inputs to a first mircrocontroller, said first microcontroller containing a program to interpret said inputs and transfer data to one or more additional microcontrollers so that said additional microcontrollers, through a program stored therein, can control one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low voltage levels, connected to controlling devices for the purpose of supplying power and for transferring digital data, said controlling devices having controlled connections and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices further comprising a microcontroller for storing and manipulating digital data, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to providing a control system in which individual or grouped extra low voltage (normally 30 volts or less) control elements, such as switches and variable resistances, are used as inputs to a first microcontroller, said first microcontroller being of a type suitable for use with the Universal Serial Bus, said first micrcontroller manipulating said input data and transferring an interpretation of said input data to a program located within the Universal Serial Bus host computer, said host computer program also producing output data which is transferred to one or more additional microcontrollers, said additional microcontrollers being of a type suitable for use with the Universal Serial Bus, so that said additional microcontrollers, through a program stored therein, can control one or more mains voltage (normally 115 volts to 600 volts) electrical devices, such as receptacles, lights or heaters, by means of wires, operating at extra-low levels and of a type suitable for use in the transfer of data at speeds required by the Universal Serial Bus, connected to controlling devices for the purpose of supplying power and for transferring digital data, said controlling devices having controlled connections and controlling connections, said controlling devices comprising a means of providing electrical separation of said controlling connections from said controlled connections, such as a relay or an optical-coupling means, said controlling devices further comprising a microcontroller of a type suitable for use with the Universal Serial Bus, said controlling devices being of a physical size and shape that permits said controlling devices to be installed through the open front of an electrical device enclosure, said electrical device enclosure being of the type that is installed in a wall or ceiling so that the front edges appear flush with the finished wall or ceiling, said electrical device enclosure also being of a type to which a device such as a receptacle or a light fixture may be attached, said electrical device enclosure also having a plate which covers a large opening in one wall of said electrical device enclosure, said plate being removable from within said electrical device enclosure to expose a large opening through which said controlling device may pass, so that one wall of said controlling device completes one wall of said electrical device enclosure and so that said controlled connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said mains voltage wires within said electrical device enclosure, while said controlling connections of said controlling device are available for connection to said extra-low voltage wires outside of said electrical device enclosure, said extra-low voltage wires being accessible by removal of said controlling device or by removal of said plate.